Dianthus plant named ‘Apple Slice’

ABSTRACT

The new and distinct cultivar of perennial Carnation or Pinks,  Dianthus  plant named ‘Apple Slice’ with long-blooming, fragrant, highly double flowers and petals with a central rose pink zone surrounded on the outside and usually bisected down the middle with a magenta border.  Dianthus  ‘Apple Slice’ is tolerant of high temperatures and resists center dying out.

Botanical denomination: Dianthus hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘Apple Slice’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the new and distinct cultivar ofDianthus or Pinks from the genus Dianthus and assigned the cultivar name‘Apple Slice’. The new plant was the result of an intentional cross inMay of 2006 by Kevin A. Hurd between ‘Double Spotty’ U.S. Plant Pat. No.13,884 as the seed parent and ‘Devon Siskin’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,377(more often known as ‘Raspberry Swirl’) as the pollen parent. The newhybrid was first isolated from trials at a nursery in Zeeland, MI duringthe summer of 2007. Dianthus ‘Apple Slice’ has been asexually propagatedat the same nursery in Zeeland, MI using traditional shoot tip cuttingprocedures and found to reproduce plants that are identical and exhibitall the characteristics of the original plant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has not been evaluated under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations inenvironment including: growing temperature, available sunlight,nutrients, water, etc. without a change in the genotype of the plant.The new plant is distinct from its parents and all other Dianthus knownto the applicant in the following combined traits:

-   -   1. Double flowers with high petal counts.    -   2. Unique floral color pattern.    -   3. High heat tolerance.    -   4. Floriferous habit.    -   5. Vigorous growth and excellent habit.    -   6. Compact, distinctly blue-green foliage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photographs of the new invention demonstrate the overall appearanceof the plant including the unique traits. The colors are as accurate asreasonably possible with color reproductions. Some slight variation ofcolor may occur as a result of lighting quality, intensity, wavelength,direction or reflection.

FIG. 1 shows the new plant in flower.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the flower and bud.

FIG. 3 shows the dissected flower of the new plant together with capsuleand seeds.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following detailed description of the new plant is based onobservations of two-year old plants in open-field, full-sun conditionsin Zeeland, MI with supplemental watering, light additions of fertilizerand free of other plant growth regulators. All color usage is inreference to the 2001 edition of The Royal Horticultural Colour Chartexcept where common dictionary terms are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dianthus hybrid.-   Parentage: ‘Double Spotty’ (female) times ‘Raspberry Swirl’ (male).-   Plant description:    -   -   Habit.—Cespitose, herbaceous, evergreen perennial; stems            proximally branched, erect; height of foliage about 14 cm            and 35 cm across.        -   Root system.—Fibrous; Venation: finely reticulate,            coloration same as that of leaf top and bottom.-   Foliage:    -   -   Leaf type.—Simple, linear, opposite, decussate, sessile,            glabrous, glaucous on adaxial and abaxial; acute apex; base            decurrent, adpressed along stem and somewhat perfoliate; no            fragrance detected.        -   Leaf dimensions.—About 7 cm long and 4 mm wide.        -   Leaf color.—Nearest RHS 122B adaxial and abaxial sides.        -   Venation.—Finely reticulate, coloration same as that of leaf            top and bottom.        -   Stems.—Erect to arching, terete, glabrous, glaucous,            proximally branching at 2 to 3 nodes.        -   Stem size.—About 22 cm long and 3 mm wide at base.        -   Stem color.—Nearest RHS 122B.        -   Branching.—Numerous from lower leaf axils; about 120 per            plant.        -   Nodes.—4 mm across, RHS N134A.        -   Internodes.—4 to 5 cm apart.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Terminal, cymose, erect.        -   Flowers per stem.—Usually 4 to 6.        -   Pedicel.—Glaucous, glabrous, terete.        -   Pedicel size.—Usually 3 to 4 cm long and 2 mm diameter.        -   Pedicel color.—Nearest RHS 122A.-   Flowers:    -   -   Type.—Salviform, completely double, symmetrical.        -   Dimension.—4.0 to 4.5 cm across and extending about 1.5 cm            above calyx.        -   Flower bud shape.—Rhomboid to terete.        -   Flower bud size one day prior to opening.—About 2 cm long            and 1 cm wide.        -   Flower bud color.—Glaucous, nearest RHS N138B and with            patches between RHS 187B and RHS N187B.        -   Flower period.—Starting early June and after a 2 week rest            continuing until frost.        -   Flower lasting quality.—about one week on or off the plant.        -   Flower fragrance.—Light, sweet spicy, clove-like.        -   Petals.—20 to 24, consisting of a rounded blade or limb and            a claw (enclosed completely within the calyx), obovate, apex            dentate with dentations 2 mm deep, bearded with minute hairs            mostly on the center of the adaxial surface, bent outwardly            to nearly a ninety degree angle; dark wine-colored margin            circle on adaxial side about 5 mm thick; variable center            stripe either continuous to 2 mm wide, broken or not            present.        -   Dimension.—Variable, to 3.8 cm long including claw and limb;            larger petal limb to 2.3 cm across and 1.5 cm long, smaller            limbs to 3 mm across and 6 mm long; claws range from 1.7 cm            to 2.5 cm long and 2 mm to 8 mm wide about 3 mm from limb.        -   Color.—Adaxial limb: margin circle or center stripe RHS N77A            to N79A, middle portion RHS 71D; abaxial limb: margin or            center stripe (showing through from adaxial side) closest to            RHS N187C and the center portion between RHS 63C and RHS            63D; claw: RHS 145C both sides.        -   Calyx.—Glabrous, glaucous, five-toothed corolla tube fused            in proximal 1.5 cm; about 2 cm long and 0.8 cm in diameter;            RHS 147D with anthocyanin tinting of RHS N77C.        -   Peduncle.—Glabrous, glaucous, terete, 22 cm long and 2 mm            diameter; RHS N138D.        -   Bracts.—Two, opposite, broadly obtuse with rounded apex,            about 7 mm long and 10 mm wide; RHS N138C in the center,            lighter than RHS 138D at base and margins.        -   Bracteoles.—Two, opposite, lanceolate, sharply acute apex,            bases joined at stem; about 10 mm long and 4 mm wide;            glaucous, RHS N138C at apex and center, lighter than RHS            138D at base and margins.        -   Stipules.—None present.        -   Androecium.—Stamens 10, filaments variable in length from            1.2 to 3 cm long, less than 1 mm diameter; pale green            lighter than RHS 11D; anther oblong to 3.2 mm long and 1 mm            wide, RHS164B; pollen rare, pollen color RHS 11D.        -   Gynoecium.—Style split in two above ovary, pistil 2 cm long            and about 1 mm diameter, lighter than RHS 11D except for            distal 5 mm which are lighter than RHS 77D; stigma between            RHS 77C and RHS 77B.        -   Ovary.—Superior, ovoid; 1.1 cm long and 8 mm wide; RHS 135B            at distal end and between RHS 145D and RHS 145C at proximal            end.-   Seed: 12 to 30, blackish brown darker than RHS 200A, shield-shaped,    dorsiventrally compressed, about 3.0 mm across and 0.5 mm thick.-   Capsule: Ovoid to cylindrical, opening by 4 teeth, about 2 cm long    and 7.5 mm diameter, between RHS 197B and RHS 197C.-   Growth rate.—Vigorous, finishing from a 3 cm liner into a 15 cm in 6    to 8 weeks.-   Disease resistance: The new plant is resistant to center die out    from fungus or high temperatures. The plant grows best with adequate    moisture and well-drained soil, but is able to tolerate high    temperatures and some drought once established. Hardiness at least    from USDA zone 4 through 9.-   Comparison varieties: The new plant has more petals, with wider and    deeper ruby petal margins, and deeper pink petal centers than either    parent. The most closely known cultivars are Dianthus ‘Cranberry    Ice’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,342 which is similar in petal color but    has only a single row of petals and copending application Dianthus    plant named ‘Coconut Punch’ which has much lighter (whiter and less    pink) adaxial petal limb centers and abaxial petal limb sections.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of perennial Carnation or Pinks, Dianthusplant named ‘Apple Slice’ as herein described and illustrated, withfragrant highly double flowers, petals with a central rose pink zonesurrounded on the outside and usually bisected down the middle with amagenta border, tolerant of high temperatures, resistant to center dieout and suitable as a garden ornamental, potted plant and for cut flowerarrangements.